Tag: coconut flakes

This is actually like porridge! I’ve been a little oatmeal’ed and overnight oats’ed out, but after all these brisk mornings, I wanted something with the same feel. You may be skeptical when mixing together flaxseed and chia seeds and nuts and coconut . . . but it is! Trust me. I was surprised too. I popped this concoction in the microwave thinking it wouldn’t absorb the milk and become fluffy quite like oatmeal does, but the result is like steel-cut oats or cream of wheat — just less gnarly and grainy; this Grain-Free Porridge with Fresh Figs has a much smoother and lighter finish. I had the last of my fresh figs left, so naturally I topped porridge with those and the some dried cranberries for a late summer, early fall feel.

Who said you need to buy sweetened yogurt when you can make your own, even better, Banana Walnut Parfait? Flavored yogurt tends to have as much as 25 g of sugar PER SERVING.Don’t believe me? Check out Yogurt With More Sugar Than a Twinkie via Huffington Post. A delicious snack, light breakfast or dessert, this parfait has less added sugar using plain Greek yogurt as a base, adding only a pinch of agave nectar and plays off of the banana’s natural sweetness.

I haven’t made overnight oats in a while and I must say, what a way to get back in the game. It’s (hopefully) getting warmer with spring officially trying to make its way into the New England weather and the daylight slowly growing longer. Although I usually grab cinnamon and vanilla for breakfast items and/or smoothies, this was different. The combo of raspberries, cranberries, and spices were great. Served hot or cold — you choose just how to enjoy Cinnamon Vanilla Berry Overnight Oats.

When I lived in Ithaca, I discovered how easy it was to make granola and it quickly became a staple to snack on and top yogurt, oatmeal and smoothie bowls. Fast forward to living in Boston and I realized I haven’t made granola in a while. I’ve been saving this recipe for Vanilla Cardamom Granola since right around Christmas, but I finally bought some ground cardamom yesterday. (Fun fact: apparently cardamom is the world’s third most expensive spice.) It has a very spicy, herbal and almost citrusy profile and reminded me of the flavor in lemon poppyseed muffins. The coconut flakes became browned in the oven, while the pecans are delightfully toasted. I topped my vanilla yogurt this morning with 1/4 c granola as an am snack. It’s light and hearty and oh, so satisfying.

I don’t even know where to begin. This yogurt bark was great and easy and fun to make. I see many variations cropping up in the near future, like peanut butter banana or strawberry mint or… Like I said, it’s so easy, I’m going to have to gobble up this batch so I can make another. I’ve been looking for something other than dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet teeth and stumbled upon the idea for yogurt bark. Tossed in everything but the kitchen sink, not so patiently waited for this to chill and voila! Vanilla Yogurt Bark. You’ll forget it’s not chocolate, but a delicious frozen treat.

Ermahgawd, I can’t even sum up all of my emotions triggered from this soup. I’ve never made a bisque without heavy cream, but coconut milk is just as much a wow. It still adds a subtle flavor that’s not too overwhelming. I am also still on cloud 9 after buying an immersion blender so get prepared for some squash curry kale soup coming up. I added cooked carrots for more color and substance and the flavors of the sweet potatoes stand on their own. This Sweet Potato Bisque will be a lunch and dinner favorite this week.

I can’t get enough of Banana Cookies. They’re simple — two ingredients simple, easy to make and the result is a tasty, yet satisfying treat. I was trying to find a way for a heartier snack that wasn’t celery and hummus or plain, ol’ raw almonds. I had bananas ripening on the counter, chopped nuts hanging out in the pantry and the idea to somehow incorporate a Kind Bar. Sounds promising, right? I tossed in chia seeds and dried cranberries and the Trail Mix Banana Cookies were born. I would have totally added dark chocolate chips, but I didn’t have any on hand. (Note to self, always have dark chocolate chips on hand. What was I thinking?) Sounds like I’ll just have to whip up batch numero duo and let you know how it goes.

Despite it being a heat wave this summer, I had this urge to bake in July. To be completely honest, I’m not entirely sure why I never posted this recipe. I think I wanted to try it again to perfect it, but I honestly think it’s fine as is. I wanted something still summery (cue the coconut) and something that would keep me sated (hence the almond butter). I wanted a cookie and snack hybrid and somehow stumbled upon Coconut Almond Butter Bites as my end product. Bam!

This may seem really simple and like a no brainer, but I still don’t know why I don’t make these Yogurt Bowls more often. I love yogurt. I love granola. I love fruit. Why not always put them together? I just discovered Siggi’s Icelandic-Style Skyr at Whole Foods. I really like that their yogurts are high in protein but low(ish) in sugar. They’re also very recycle friendly — plus! Siggis also uses few ingredients and ones I can actually pronounce. I’d say this Yogurt Bowl is a win-win.Continue reading “In Love with Simplistic Yogurt Bowls”→

I found this idea for Apple Swiss Muesli during the hot, muggy month of August after my mom’s suggestion. It’s a breakfast that’s carried through to the cold weather, just swapping kiwi and coconut flakes for Superfood Poached Berries and hearty Pumpkin Spice Granola. (A cranberry orange zest with a dash of nutmeg may be in the future to hail the upcoming holidays.) It’s especially easy to make the night before in a Mason jar to have breakfast covered the next morning or to whisk away with you on your commute. This version of muesli is so easy to make and experiment with toppings to make your perfect breakfast.